College freshman Whitney Stewart was named National Youth of the Year at this year’s Boys and Girls Clubs of America gala held in Washington, D.C.
Credit: Maryam AlausaAt this year’s Boys and Girls Clubs of America gala held in Washington, D.C., College freshman Whitney Stewart was named National Youth of the Year. The ceremony, held annually for the past 70 years, included BGCA alumni such as Denzel Washington and was the culminating point in Stewart’s seven year-long commitment to the organization.
The prize offered for the National Youth of the Year includes $145,000 in academic scholarships, as well as a trip to Disney theme parks and a brand new Toyota vehicle. In addition , Stewart will have to keep up with a busy schedule that includes attending future events in Atlanta and Beverly Hills and meeting with President Obama in November.
Stewart, who was also chosen as Southeast Youth of the Year, was an active leader of the Boys and Girls Club of Sarasota County, Florida, serving as president of the BGCA’s teen leadership group, the Keystone Club and the BGCA National Teen Advisory Board. The eldest of three siblings, she excelled as a cadet on the Junior Reserve Officer Training Corp and rose to its highest post of Regimental Commander, overseeing 1,000 cadets in five battalions.
Not one to shy away from a challenge, she also initiated a club of her own at Sarasota Military Academy. Called SEED to SOIL, it aims to inform students and parents about healthy lifestyle choices and sustainable agriculture. The BGCA’s website summarizes Stewart's attitude towards her community with a quote of hers: “‘I will’ is the legacy I hope to leave." Her involvement with her community and country is also reflected in her desire to go to law school, after which she plans to start a career as a judge advocate in the Air Force and enter the world of politics.
One of Stewart's fondest memories from BGCA is a mountain climbing experience in Colorado. Upon reaching the summit, she said she became aware of her own potential and decided to inspire her peers back home to discover their own strengths.
"[Someone] told me, 'Look at what you've just done. If you can climb a mountain, you can do anything," Stewart said.
She credits the BGCA with being an organization that “shows kids they can be anything they aspire to be.”
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